Transformation, faith and perseverance. These are some of the attributes I wanted this painting to embody. I came upon a butterfly like this on a bicycle trek along a county road in rural east Texas. Apparently injured and unable to fly, I brought it back to my studio and as I studied it I was drawn not only to its graphic beauty but also the spectacular nature of its very existence. Its complexity astounded me and I was reminded the earlier phase of its life was as a caterpillar whose only purpose was to nourish itself for its instinctive metamorphosis. While I marveled at its coloration I felt a kind of sorrow because of its helplessness. This painting is an effort of time and control, of faith and questioning. Please read my essay “Metamorphosis” under the heading “BLOG.”